Thursday, November 28, 2013

"Ssup Bro! Just Sayin'" - Bronuts

Come the season for hybrid pastries.
If you can't understand what hybrid pastries are then you are indeed being left out from the foodie trend, well if there really is one, hehe. The infamous New York croissant + doughnut hidden in the name of croughnut, have really hit this year's food craze, albeit the term Cronut™ is trademarked for the baker Dominique Ansel,. Also, that queuing seems to be a good exercise for your patience, just to be able to sink your teeth into those sugariffic, queen of oily flakiness that would have you running to the gym for indulging in one.
Hybrid pastries are two kinds of pastries meshed up in one delectable dessert treat. Let me give you some semi-mathematical equations to further elaborate this.

I have also learned to make one hybrid, which I still have to write about...
Brookie = Brownies + Chocolate Chip Cookie

Oh yes, and there are a whole bunch of them coming out in the coming days.

For now, let me just zero in on the newest brand that is flying off the shelves like proverbial hot cakes, since it occupied a spot in Powerplant Mall's Baker's Dozen. Thanks to Instagram, I was able to come across Bronuts from a friend's account. Having to follow it for weeks already, this is what's always on their post.

Baffled by this, I said to myself "What is the fuss about these croughuts anyway?" I had to admit, this kind of pastry mash up did not really win me over. The fact that I have always loved croissant in its simplicity yet laboriously done feature, I've thought of the idea as a ridicule to the traditional French pastry.

Moving on, I got too curious, that I have been planning a trip to Rockwell, till finally one great excuse for me not just to drop by. So after visiting and doing an early Christmas shopping with my girls at the Global Pinoy Bazaar at the Tent, we head on over to the lower ground level of Powerplant Mall and verify the truth behind what everyone's been raving about.

Photo on the side by the way is from Hodge Podge bottle crown accessories.

All the four girls I'm with brought pop necklaces from them.

Again, going back to Bronuts and croughnuts and what nots...

The thing is, when I'm challenged to try out something, I most of the times, tend to disprove myself. Many have been looking for that XYZ-factors to be tagged us the best in something. For hybrid pastries, it has become indeed difficult. It may take most foodies a lifetime to try all the varieties from different brands or bakeries but I guess no need to venture anymore and waste time. For I have discovered the best to end all kind of the croissant and doughnut hybrid. Yep, it's Bronuts.

I'll tell you why. But let me first introduce their flavors. The ones they have available last Sunday, that is.

Blueberry and Cream

Pylones flavor as in Pylones gift center which sells cutesy designer items to give to those hard to buy for friends and family members who seems to have it all. A croughnut that is filled with strawberry jam, and topped with buttercream and bits of dark chocolate

Pylones Logo.

Belgian Chocolate with Salted Caramel

Iho de Leche aka Ensaymada

Spicy Floss

Cream Cheese with Bacon

Here now are the reasons why I said it is the best croughnut by far.

The Scent test:

A baker knows how a good pastry smells. What led me to their booth is the sight of a crowd ganging up on a lady with a wooden board filled with different chunks, I mean, big cuts of their different varieties, and of course the aroma of their pastries which filled the east wing of Powerplant mall. You can just smell the freshness of each baked product. Also, by smelling every piece you know that the ingredients are not scrimped and are of good quality.

The Picture-Perfect Test:

Need I say more? I guess we can easily judge by just looking at each picture above. Even the stacks of these Bronuts loaded on trays were that enticing. As if the baker had intentionally perfected it's look always ready for that photo op.

The Bench test/ Taste Test:

The first thing you notice is the fantastic texture on the crust. The fried croissant dough is perfectly crisp, which makes for a satisfying bite. Aside fro the pastry being huge and tall, you get plenty of layers in each mouthful.

The first one I got to try was Ijo de Leche from the generous sampling girl. It was very buttery and oozing with slightly sharp cheddar cheese. What intrigued me the most was what was in between such layers. Till I get to sample on the whole croughnut.

I knew the batch I bought won't make it at home. On our way to church service at New Life the Fort, I got giddy reaching for one as my kiddos were staring at them. Pardon the photos, I was on a moving car when I took the photos, because I wasn't able to contain myself with its scent overpowering the car perfume.

First to get my hands on was the Belgian Chocolate with Salted Caramel.

I love that it's not oily like the others. You'd never know that it was fried at all.

Another lasting surprise is when you bite into it, it has a creamy custard filling! Every bite was bursting with chocolate, flaky puff, and its custard.

Another favorite is the savory version- Cream Cheese Bacon.

I'm a cream cheese lover and every food that has it is an instant fave of mine, thus this made a remarkable mark. After a few bites I realized it was like eating a croissant sans the circular shape, with a dollop of garlic infused cream cheese and a generous sprinkling of crispy bacon bits.

I used to shun the idea after trying a few from different brands, not only is it loaded with carbs, it didn't really make me try more. But then again, this time I'm more determined to try out more Bronuts varieties.

If you still would want to do more adventurous things, trying out some of the metro's trending pastry hybrid can be a tough challenge. If ever you do want to, you may want to check out the list and some reviews here:

About Me

A foodie, a mom to four. a wife, a baker, a business owner and a friend to many!
Method to my madness:
1. Frequent visits to places I love.
2. Fill up my home with lovely memories were eating is the medium.
3. Write my mind out!
For collabs, inquiries and reviews you may email me at gastronomybyjoy@yahoo.com or send me an SMS at 632 9176318186